(Original post by Captain Haddock)
Your reasoning comes off as somewhat circular - that Islam causes extremism because of the preaching of Islamic extremists. MI5's own study into the issue found that the link between terrorism and religious observance is a weak one. Islamic terrorists rarely fir the profile of religious fundamentalists, but instead tend to be young, rebellious 'bad boy' types who engage in all kinds of behaviours expressly forbidden by Islam. They are often born and raised in the countries they end up attacking, while their parents, who usually grew up in Islamic countries surrounded by Islamic culture, rarely sympathise with terrorism. It's an extremely complex issue that has more to do with political, ideological, social and economic issues than anything else. It's a dangerous mistake to boil it all down to problems inherent in the religion.

"The link between terrorism and religious observance is a weak one"

Rubbish - many jihadis have engaged in less than islamic behaviour and values BEFORE Islam and its teachings came into their lives. I suspect its these types of people who are most susceptible to blowing buses up for Alan or beheading and raping kids in Foreign lands because they know their past actions have been less than pious and they have making up to do. Are you suggesting that had Islam not entered these mens lives, they would have still gone on to terrorism for another cause?

I would suggest many rebellious bad boy types that engage in behaviours expressly forbidden by Islam are more susceptible to going to greater more extreme distances for their new found religion because of their past demeanours.

Islam encompasses all 4 of the things you boil it down to. Political, ideological, social and economic issues...

We have seen Islamic terrorists appear from across every continent on earth, from highly educated to illiterate... from marginalised to leaders of community, from poor and destitute to millionaires and financially successful. From countries engaged in conflict in muslim lands, and from countries not engaged in conflict in muslim lands. From black, to white, to brown...

All have one unifying feature... their superstitious belief in a bloke named Alan and his motorcycle messenger. Islam

(Original post by Ranadosa)
Maybe. Or maybe you should find out why Muslim countries don't prefer the term Moslem.

Maybe you should find out how "Moslem" is pronounced in English. Here's a clue: it rhymes with "Muslim".

Or do you think other countries should be consulted over every word we use in English?

Perhaps you think I should investigate whether every word I speak or write in English has a rude, insulting or otherwise unacceptable connotation in every other language around the world. I'd be surprised if many didn't. Is it a sensible thing to do? No.

If you are seriously determined to avoid giving offence to speakers of other languages or fear being misunderstood by them, then I advise you to avoid the following: cookie, kiss, speed, payday,gift, salsa and pick. And never, ever tell a Turkish girl she is a peach or that she is sick.

(Original post by QE2)
So, taking time off work, travelling to a foreign country and staying in luxury hotels so you can do something that you really want to do, is not a holiday?
Whatever.

But they didn't. That's the important point.
Pre Islam Mecca was an inclusive, polytheist society. They did not reject Islam at first. The leaders of the Quraysh actually attempted to negotiate with Muhammad and offered him incentives and even offered to incorporate Islam into their system if he stopped dissing the established beliefs and causing trouble.
He rejected them.

This is simply not supported by the evidence. Read some books like Mubarakpuri and Lings (both written by Muslims)

I never claimed that it was purely by offensive military expansion, only that it was an element. You are claiming that it played no part whatsoever.

The arguments presented by apologists on here are essentially the arguments of scholars. I have seen nothing in their articles and videos that has not been presented on here at some point.
The position that "I don't know, but I trust that there is someone who does" is not a viable one.

I said what I had to. And your still wrong about viewing hajj as just a holiday and not an important and serious event in a muslim life.